Nesting Notes. 209 



Pekiui) of Incubation: I have found a curious note 

 of the nesting of Bengelese in 11)08. July 2nd, a solitary hen 

 Bengelese began building in a small yew tree. I thought the 

 bird was a cock until I saw her pairing with a cock Orange - 

 cheek. I then secured a cock Bengelese, and the building 

 proceeded till August (ith, when the first Qg^ was laid — 6 were 

 laid altogether, the Gth on August IGth. The first egg. was 

 hatched, of which four were successfully reared. This shows 

 that the lirst egQ was hatched at least 31 days after it was 

 laid, when I generally supposed that 10 to 1-1 days was the 

 usual time. The weather was wet and cold. 



BiKDS OF The Ybak: I have only got young from 

 Canaries, Cockateels, Cutthroats, Zebra Finches, and Javas. 

 Orange-breasted Waxbiils laid two clutches in a heated aviary 

 in February, which came to nothing. Long-tailed Grassfinches 

 have been on eggs lor about a week. Black-headed Couldians 

 are building; also Cordon Bleus, and Jacarini Finches. 



Bkitish Hybrids: A hen Greenfinch has nested and 

 hatched out two young ones. The only cock birds in the 

 aviary with her are a Hawfinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, and E,eed 

 Sparrow. Which of these has filled the eggs I cannot tell yet. 



A Tkagfdy: I lost a beautiful Nightingale in a re- 

 markable way. This bird w^as wonderfully tame, and I liad 

 turned it into my roomiest open aviary. One morning ^I 

 found it dying with a very large earth-worm round its body 

 stuck tight amongst its feathers. The bird had evi- 

 dently attacked the worm at night time, and the worm in 

 wriggling had got two turns I'ound the bird's neck, and one 

 extremity was glued under the left wing, and the other end 

 of the worm after passing across the back, and under the 

 right wing, from behind, was embedded under the feathers 

 there. The bird died from exhaustion, and I nearly wept 

 for sorrow, and felt inclined to give up the whole thing for 

 some time, only the sight of the Gouldians and Cordons building 

 as if life depended upon it, put fresh hope and encouragement 

 into me. 



Ceoss Mating: A Crimson Finch 9 lias paired with 

 'reen Avadavat cf what will the result be, if any? 



